The China Syndrome (1979)

Too many fans seem to be blown away

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

This is for sure one of the most realistic movies i have ever seen ! Great stuff from the 70s , VERY GOOD acting , and simply its almost as if watching a documentary rather then a Hollywood movie.

This movie come from the waves of disaster movies of the seventies,made a huge success in that time,but slipped in a fake dramatization,the technical adviser probably was fired for the producers naturally,l've been working in oils field and relatives machines and l'm pretty sure it's never gonna happen like exposed in the picture,pipe plumbing are welding very carefully and then radiography taken by each section,another important info,in nuclear power plant are provide of several Pumps with by pass to be use just in case of fail of some them,still...even in case of welding rupture or cracking it didn't shake the building like shown in the movie...well maybe some asking about Chernobyl...it's totally different because the URSS's breakdown was the main cause of the disaster,they didn't enough money to make a proper maintenance,Fukujima was damaged by earthquake it's a natural event in Japan....all Nuclear Power Plant are safe instead unclean of course...they don't have any safe destination to waste water!!Resume:First watch: 1983 / How many: 5 / Source: TV-Cable TV-DVD / Rating: 8

THE CHINA SYNDROME is another example of those great '70s-era conspiracy thrillers that still outdo most similar fare being released in cinemas today. It's a realistic, thought-provoking and sometimes terrifying tale of mankind's reliance on nuclear energy, and the problems that arise thanks to laziness and negligence on our parts.Jane Fonda has never been better playing a TV reporter trying to get the scoop of her life, with a dependable Michael Douglas playing her tireless cameraman. Best of all, however, is Jack Lemmon in a straight role as a worker at a nuclear power plant who soon becomes aware that something very fishy is going on at his place of work. The cast is loaded with familiar faces, particularly at the news studio with James Karen and Peter Donat in support.THE CHINA SYNDROME quickly grips you at the outset with an outstanding set-piece, one that's full of tension. After this things change down a gear, and then it's a slow burn for a while. Towards the end though, they really pick up again with some chilling moments and a grand climax. It's a bit of an emotional roller-coaster ride and what makes it so effective is that it's easy to believe this could really happen. A great thriller.

There is an accident at a nuclear Power Plant, while a TV news team is filming a routine spot. The cameraman (Michael Douglas) secretly films the panicked actions of Plant Manager (Jack Lemmon) in the control room. Reporter (Jane Fonda) tries to get the story on the air. She is refused. So Fonda and Douglas dig into the accident, the more they dig, the less they believe it.Meanwhile, Lemmon has been conducting his own investigation. The performances are crucial to the movie's success, and they're all the more interesting because the characters aren't just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Oscar winner Fonda is superb as the TV reporter. Douglas is spot on as the bearded, cameraman. And at the very core of the movie is Jack Lemmon, reluctant to rock the boat, compelled to follow his conscience. He totally deserved his Oscar as he was awesomeOther than over the opening credits, I don't think I heard any music score in the picture.. The lack of a score added to the tension I thoughtStill relevant today and well worth checkin out